O'Brien excited about making Derby debut as trainer with Rekindling

Twice a Derby-winning jockey from just five attempts, Joseph O'Brien will have his first runner as a trainer in the Epsom showpiece on Saturday, when he saddles Rekindling as part of an all-O'Brien Irish challenge for the Investec-backed Classic.

His father Aidan is expected to run six in the race, and 24-year-old O'Brien jnr, who won on Camelot in 2012 and Australia in 2014, is looking forward to a different Derby day role.

He said on Wednesday: "Rekindling is in good form. We're happy with him and it's a case of so far, so good. We'll see what draw he gets tomorrow but it looks an open Derby this year and we decided to let him take his chance."

Rekindling, a son of 2002 Derby winner High Chaparral, is owned by Lloyd Williams and was trained last year by David Wachman.

He won the Group 3 Ballysax at Leopardstown on his reappearance in April, beating a trio of Ballydoyle-trained colts – Douglas Macarthur, Yucatan and Capri – who subsequently filled the first three places in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial back at Leopardstown last month. Douglas Macarthur and Capri will be among Rekindling's rivals on Saturday.

On his latest start Rekindling finished fourth in the Dante at York, where he did not enjoy the clearest of runs.

O'Brien added: "Given the circumstances he didn't run a bad race at all at York. He came out of the race well and we're looking forward to running him on Saturday."

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